National Politics

Prismatic Electric Fountain in City Park to get repairs to wow again

The Prismatic Electric Fountain in Denver's City Park, shown Friday, was refurbished in time to be unveiled in 2008 when the Democratic Convention was in town, but lately, power-relay and water-pressure problems have caused the lights to malfunction. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Every night, Dale Parachini sits on his balcony in a high-rise overlooking City Park and watches the Prismatic Electric Fountain in Ferril Lake, where 11 geysers dance around a tall central plume.

Just one problem. This summer, the multicolored lights haven't worked right.

"If it doesn't light up, it's not prismatic," he said. "It was very distressing to me."

Turns out, Denver Parks and Recreation has been working on the problem with short-term and long-term solutions that deal with lights and water pressure.

One of the power relays for the colored LED lights had failed, and most of the white incandescent lights were out.

"The lights are in the process of being replaced," Denver Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Angela Casias said. "Some will be done very soon, and some we have to order from a special manufacturer in Germany."

Some lights will be fixed sooner than others, depending on when the German supplies arrive, and the city is still assessing why the power relays are not working, she said.

"The horrible water quality in Ferril Lake has taken a toll on the valves in the fountain," he posted Wednesday. "The green gunk — algae — in the water sticks to the valve mechanism and causes them to stick open or closed."

It also clogs the mechanism for the pressure-regulating valve.

"We are working on some water-pressure issues and some valves sticking, mostly to do with algae buildup," Casias said.

Filters on valves are being cleaned, and they are "working on long-term solutions (with) water filtration," Casias said.

Parachini is happy knowing the problem is being addressed.

"I feel they're going in a very good direction," he said. "It tells me that someone is as passionate about this as I am."

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